Nalanda University

Ancient university and Buddhist monastic center southwest of Bihar Sharif. Nalanda's traditional history dates to the time of the Buddha (6th-5th centuries BCE) and Mahavira, the founder of the Jaina religion. According to a later Tibetan source, Nagarjuna (the 2nd-3rd-century CE Buddhist philosopher) began his studies there. Extensive excavations carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India indicate, however, that the foundation of the monasteries belongs to the Gupta period (5th century CE). The powerful 7th-century ruler of Kanauj, Harshavardhana, is reported to have contributed to them. During his reign, the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang stayed at Nalanda for some time and left a clear account of the subjects studied there and of the general features of the community. Yijing, another Chinese pilgrim a generation later, also provided a minute account of the life of the monks. Nalanda continued to flourish as a center of learning under the Pala dynasty (8th-12th centuries), and it became a center of religious sculpture in stone and bronze. Nalanda was probably sacked during Muslim raids in Bihar and never recovered. A UNESCO Heritage site.